Ben SlaterNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Tom Bowman is a NPR National Desk reporter covering the Pentagon.In his current role, Bowman has traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan often for month-long visits and embedded with U.S. Marines and soldiers.Before coming to NPR in April 2006, Bowman spent nine years as a Pentagon reporter at The Baltimore Sun. Altogether he was at The Sun for nearly two decades, covering the Maryland Statehouse, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the National Security Agency (NSA). His coverage of racial and gender discrimination at NSA led to a Pentagon investigation in 1994.Initially Bowman imagined his career path would take him into academia as a history, government, or journalism professor. During college Bowman worked as a stringer at The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, Mass. He also worked for the Daily Transcript in Dedham, Mass., and then as a reporter at States News Service, writing for the Miami Herald and the Anniston (Ala.) Star.Bowman is a co-winner of a 2006 National Headliners' AwardNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Tom BowmanTue, 06 Dec 2016 12:55:41 +0000Tom Bowmanhttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org
Tom BowmanCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit MARTIN, HOST: Donald Trump famously said, quote, "I know more about ISIS than the generals do. Believe me." But he also said, quote, "I love the generals." And he seems to want them as close advisers. He's tapped Lieutenant General Michael Flynn as national security adviser. And today, he will formally announce General James Mattis as his pick for secretary of defense. And he could pick retired General David Petraeus as secretary of state. NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman is in the studio now to talk more about this. Hi, Tom. TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: Hey, Rachel. MARTIN: Let's talk about General David Petraeus, former director of the CIA. He pled guilty in 2015 to a misdemeanor charge for mishandling classified information, which is complicated since Trump spent the campaign lambasting Hillary Clinton for her mishandling of classified information. So how likely is it that Petraeus can get confirmed? BOWMAN: Well, if he's nominated, I think hisAfter Criticizing Generals In The Campaign, Trump Names Them To Top Jobshttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/after-criticizing-generals-campaign-trump-names-them-top-jobs
97874 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgMon, 05 Dec 2016 10:41:00 +0000After Criticizing Generals In The Campaign, Trump Names Them To Top JobsTom BowmanCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit SHAPIRO, HOST: Donald Trump announced his choice to be defense secretary. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) DONALD TRUMP: We are going to appoint Mad Dog Mattis... (CHEERING) TRUMP: ...As our secretary of defense. SHAPIRO: And NPR's Tom Bowman joins us now to talk about General James Mattis. Tom, what can you tell us about him? TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: Well, it's not over the top, Ari, to say he's a living legend in the Marine Corps and highly respected in the military across the board and on Capitol Hill as well. He's a very aggressive combat leader, led Marines to Baghdad in the Iraq war. And as you say, his nickname is Mad Dog. His radio call sign was Chaos, and he famously relieved an officer in the Iraq war for not being aggressive enough. And as far as everyone knows, that was not done before in the war. And interestingly, back in 2005, his star was rising so much there were even plans to make a movie about him starring Harrison Ford. Now, Ari,Trump Says Retired Gen. Mattis Is His Choice To Lead Pentagonhttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/trump-says-retired-gen-mattis-his-choice-lead-pentagon
97762 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgFri, 02 Dec 2016 04:22:00 +0000Trump Says Retired Gen. Mattis Is His Choice To Lead PentagonTom BowmanMichael Flynn, Donald Trump's planned choice for National Security Adviser, is perhaps best known to the American public for his fiery speech at the Republican National Convention in the summer, when he spoke to chants of "lock her up," a reference to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton — and joined in himself.It was a strange position for someone who was a career military officer and a registered Democrat from Rhode Island.Within military circles, Flynn was a highly respected — though at times controversial — career intelligence officer. He worked his way up the ranks, including stints as the top intelligence officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and as Gen. Stanley McChrystal's top aide in Afghanistan.Flynn was never shy about ruffling feathers.In 2010, while serving in Afghanistan, he aired his complaints in a report called "Fixing Intel: A Blueprint for Making Intelligence Relevant in Afghanistan" for the Center for a New American Security, a Washington think tank.Not Afraid To Ruffle Feathers: How Michael Flynn Became A Trump Confidant http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/not-afraid-ruffle-feathers-how-michael-flynn-became-trump-confidant
97327 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgFri, 18 Nov 2016 14:15:00 +0000Not Afraid To Ruffle Feathers: How Michael Flynn Became A Trump Confidant Tom BowmanCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.U.S. Navy Fires At Yemeni Radar Sites After Navy Destroyer Was Targeted http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/us-navy-fires-yemeni-radar-sites-after-navy-destroyer-was-targeted
95958 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgThu, 13 Oct 2016 11:43:00 +0000U.S. Navy Fires At Yemeni Radar Sites After Navy Destroyer Was Targeted Tom BowmanThe military is famous for working long hours, not only on overseas deployments to hot spots like Iraq or Afghanistan but back home, too. It's almost a badge of honor.So balancing work and family life can be especially difficult for those in uniform. Take Air Force Maj. Johanna Ream.She's working a high-powered, top-secret job. Her husband's an Air Force cargo plane pilot who flies all over the world. And they were the parents of an infant named Jack when this happened:"I was pregnant with my second child," Ream says, "and I was tired, working full-time, having an 8-month-old. And I was like, 'You know, I could really use a break.'"She did get that break, through a program called the Career Intermission Program. It allows service members to take one to three years off – while retaining benefits and receiving a small percentage of their usual monthly pay. For those who take time off, their career is effectively frozen while they are away, but they are not penalized when they come backTo Retain More Parents, The Military Offers A Better Work-Life Balancehttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/retain-more-women-military-offers-better-work-life-balance
95926 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgWed, 12 Oct 2016 14:26:00 +0000To Retain More Parents, The Military Offers A Better Work-Life BalanceTom BowmanCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit MARTIN, HOST: In Syria, the future of a cease-fire and a pledge of cooperation between the U.S. and Syria are all up in the air. That's after a U.S. coalition airstrike hit Bashar al-Assad's forces in eastern Syria killing at least 62 and wounding dozens more. For more on the story, we turn now to NPR's Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman. Tom, thanks so much for joining us. TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: Sure. Good to be here. MARTIN: So exactly what happened and how could this have happened? BOWMAN: Well, that's what the Pentagon is trying to find out. An investigation has started, of course. Now, military officials say U.S. and coalition warplanes were targeting what they thought were Islamic State forces in an area around the town of Deir ez-Zor. Now, they said they'd been watching this location for days, and right before the strike, they called the Russians and said, hey, we'll be bombing in this area. The Russians said simply, thank you, according to aU.S. Airstrike In Syria Throws Wrench In Cease-Fire Planshttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/us-airstrike-syria-throws-wrench-cease-fire-plans
95161 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgSun, 18 Sep 2016 21:21:00 +0000U.S. Airstrike In Syria Throws Wrench In Cease-Fire PlansTom BowmanToday in the skies over New Mexico, Air Force students are practicing for the kill.They sit at terminals at Holloman Air Force Base, watching grainy images from a drone video feed. Thousands of feet below, at a desert training range, role players portray civilians and fighters inside a village. The students must find the proper target, then with a push of a button, they unleash a simulated airstrike.This new world of aerial combat began in the early morning hours of Oct. 7, 2001. Air Force Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula was inside a Saudi Arabia command center, also watching a drone video. It showed Taliban leader Mullah Omar and his top aides outside Kandahar, Afghanistan."They left a compound and then they move into a series of very small adobe huts," recalls Deptula.The U.S. decided not to use a 1,000-pound bomb to destroy the buildings, and potentially kill innocents.They opted to use a Predator drone with tail number 3034, carrying a much smaller, 100-pound missile. But to their surprise,The Rise Of The Drone, And The Thorny Questions That Have Followed http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/rise-drone-and-thorny-questions-have-followed
94748 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgThu, 08 Sep 2016 09:07:00 +0000The Rise Of The Drone, And The Thorny Questions That Have Followed Tom BowmanA Turkish admiral who just wrapped up a NATO job in Norfolk, Va., last month is being pursued by Turkish officials, who say he was part of the failed July 15 coup in Turkey.U.S. officials say Rear Adm. Mustafa Zeki Ugurlu is considering seeking asylum in either the U.S. or another NATO country. A spokesman for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Steve Blando, said, "We cannot comment on any specific asylum requests."Ugurlu left his military identification at his office in Norfolk, a Turkish embassy official tells NPR, adding that an arrest warrant has been issued for the admiral. Turkish media, citing government sources, say Ugurlu is among the "pro coup fugitives."The admiral is still in the United States with his immediate family, according to a U.S. official. He also has family back in Turkey.Jay Paxton, a spokesman for the NATO training command in Norfolk wouldn't comment on the situation but released the following statement:"Rear Admiral Mustafa Zeki Ugurlu rotated fromTurkish Admiral Sought In Failed Coup May Be Seeking Asylum In U.S., Officials Sayhttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/turkish-admiral-sought-failed-coup-may-be-seeking-asylum-us-officials-say
93714 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgWed, 10 Aug 2016 20:42:00 +0000Turkish Admiral Sought In Failed Coup May Be Seeking Asylum In U.S., Officials SayTom BowmanThe Afghan army commander said the treacherous road to Marjah, in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, was now safe. His forces had driven out the Taliban a few days earlier, he added."The road is open, so no problem," said Lt. Gen. Moeen Faqir. "Of course I hope you go there and find the reality and reflect it."Photojournalist David Gilkey and I traveled to Afghanistan many times. In our trip to eastern Afghanistan last year, we found an Afghan army willing to fight, but it was taking heavy casualties and still in need of considerable help. We wanted to find out what, if anything, was changing in a war America has largely forgotten since most U.S. forces left at the end of 2014.What my colleagues and I encountered was both a horrifying personal tragedy and a microcosm of the larger war in Afghanistan.To sum it up, the war is not going well. The Taliban are still strong in parts of the south and east. And the Afghan army, while improving, still needs a lot of help from theAfghanistan: A Tragic Return To A War With No End http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/afghanistan-tragic-return-war-no-end
92224 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgWed, 06 Jul 2016 11:27:00 +0000Afghanistan: A Tragic Return To A War With No End Tom BowmanThe American Green Berets were seated around a long, plywood table at their base when they spotted the Taliban counterattack on their screens.The burly Americans were working on computers, drinking coffee and munching on chips and peanut butter cookies. Their team leader answered an ever-ringing phone, giving his superiors updates on an Afghan commando mission in the mountains just north of Afghanistan's Kandahar Airfield.The Green Berets could see the progress of the mission on a massive screen on the wall — live video sent by an American drone. The Afghan commandos had opened fire on the Taliban, and they had fired back. An American AH-64 Apache attack helicopter sliced down to shred the defenders. Many scattered.Then, the American troops here spotted about two-dozen men — black-and-white figures on their monitors — carrying rifles and machine guns, moving along a dry riverbed, parallel to the Afghan commandos.The American soldiers discussed how to respond: Was there an armed droneUnder U.S. Air Cover, Afghan Commandos Chase The Elusive Taliban http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/under-us-air-cover-afghan-commandos-chase-elusive-taliban
90912 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgThu, 02 Jun 2016 08:40:00 +0000Under U.S. Air Cover, Afghan Commandos Chase The Elusive Taliban Tom BowmanCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Memorial Day In Kandahar: A Run To Honor America's Fallenhttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/memorial-day-kandahar-run-honor-americas-fallen
90819 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgMon, 30 May 2016 10:09:00 +0000Memorial Day In Kandahar: A Run To Honor America's FallenTom BowmanWith American troops mostly focused on training Afghan soldiers, the hospital on the sprawling Bagram Airfield doesn't have many combat trauma cases anymore. In fact, it just has one.A 6-year-old girl, caught in a firefight between American and Afghan soldiers and Taliban insurgents, has been in intensive care since she was shot earlier this year. The gun battle killed her father, a Taliban fighter, along with her mother and some siblings. It's not clear who fired the bullet that struck her.U.S. officials said the girl's family ties to the Taliban mean it's too dangerous to identify her or her uncle, who accompanied her to the Bagram base hospital. NPR is calling her Ameera.In one way, she represents the way the Afghan war continues to play out since many U.S. troops have reduced their role to "advising and assisting" indigenous troops. Violence endures. More children were killed in Afghanistan last year than any since record keeping began, the United Nations says — roughly 1 in 4 ofSaving 6-Year-Old Ameera, Shot In An Afghan Firefighthttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/saving-6-year-old-ameera-shot-afghan-firefight
90616 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgTue, 24 May 2016 15:58:00 +0000Saving 6-Year-Old Ameera, Shot In An Afghan FirefightTom BowmanThe Pentagon hopes an ISIS chemical weapons engineer captured in Iraq last month will lead U.S. troops to possible weapons sites and help prevent chemical attacks by the Islamic State.Defense officials hope that Sleiman Daoud al-Afari will help them find storage sites for chemical munitions including mustard agent, which can blister the skin and lungs and lead to death in high concentrations. Iraqi officials told the Associated Press that al-Afari worked for Saddam Hussein's military and has long been a member of ISIS, which seized portions of Iraq last summer.Al-Afari's capture has already led to some U.S. airstrikes against suspected ISIS chemical weapons stockpiles, one U.S. national security official confirmed to NPR.Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis declined to confirm the capture of al-Afari but he talked about the chemical threat in general terms."We've said before that they have used chemical weapons in both Iraq and Syria, sulphur mustard specifically," Davis said.U.S. Hopes ISIS Prisoner Will Lead Americans To Chemical Weaponshttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/us-hopes-isis-prisoner-will-lead-americans-chemical-weapons
87785 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgWed, 09 Mar 2016 22:04:00 +0000U.S. Hopes ISIS Prisoner Will Lead Americans To Chemical WeaponsTom BowmanCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: American warplanes struck multiple targets in Libya overnight. They hit an Islamic State training camp, and U.S. officials say they may have killed an Islamic extremist leader. U.S. officials say as many as 60 people were killed at the training camp. NPR's Tom Bowman joins us now from the Pentagon. Good morning.TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: Good morning, Renee.MONTAGNE: What are U.S. officials saying happened in Libya? And it's a place, I must say, that many of us did not know that the U.S. military was in.BOWMAN: That's right. Well, what U.S. officials are saying is that two American F-15 warplanes flew out of England and completely destroyed this camp just west of Tripoli. They estimate there were around 60 or so ISIS members training here. And from intelligence information, officials say these fighters were planning attacks in the West. And they were watching this site for weeks, if not longer, with drones and other means andU.S. Warplanes Strike ISIS Target In Libyahttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/us-warplanes-strike-isis-target-libya
87065 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgFri, 19 Feb 2016 15:19:00 +0000U.S. Warplanes Strike ISIS Target In LibyaTom BowmanCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.House Panel To Get An Update On Security In Afghanistanhttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/house-panel-get-update-security-afghanistan
86439 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgTue, 02 Feb 2016 11:08:00 +0000House Panel To Get An Update On Security In AfghanistanTom BowmanSome 700 American troops on a long-running deployment could be in danger of an attack by extremists affiliated with the Islamic State, the Pentagon worries, but it may not be able to get them out anytime soon.U.S. military commanders fear the soldiers deployed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, and charged with keeping the peace between Egypt and Israel, are becoming an irresistible target for Islamist fighters concentrating nearby.The Wilayat Sinai group has pledged allegiance to ISIS, attacked Egyptian troops and planted roadside bombs. They have called the peacekeepers a "crusader force." The group dramatically raised its profile last November when it claimed responsibility for downing a Russian civilian plane filled with tourists over the Sinai, killing all 224 on board.In the Sinai, American soldiers are closer to ISIS than anywhere else in the world, one military official said. The official and others who talked with NPR asked not to be identified since the Defense Department hasn'tA Place Where U.S. Troops Are Very Close To ISIShttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/place-where-us-troops-are-very-close-isis
85982 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgWed, 20 Jan 2016 15:21:00 +0000A Place Where U.S. Troops Are Very Close To ISISTom BowmanCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.About 10 U.S. Navy Sailors Currently Detained By Iran http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/about-10-us-navy-sailors-currently-detained-iran
85724 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgTue, 12 Jan 2016 22:11:00 +0000About 10 U.S. Navy Sailors Currently Detained By Iran Tom BowmanCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: The new year brought a major milestone for the military services. All front-line combat jobs in the infantry, special operations units and elsewhere are now open to women. But just because that policy has changed does not mean the makeup of those units is going to change quickly. NPR's Tom Bowman joined us to talk about when the promise of admitting women to combat might actually be fulfilled.Good morning.TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: Good morning.MONTAGNE: Even though the Pentagon is admitting women to every job across the military - in theory. I mean, they're allowed in, door's open - how many female troops are there in these combat roles so far?BOWMAN: Well, there are no women in these ground combat jobs right now, Renee. Women, of course, have been flying combat missions in fighter jets, attack helicopters, for more than 20 years, but beginning this week, those ground combat jobs in infantry, artillery and armor will be open toCombat Jobs Are Open To Women But Filling Slots Will Take A Whilehttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/combat-jobs-are-open-women-filling-slots-will-take-while
85505 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgWed, 06 Jan 2016 10:18:00 +0000Combat Jobs Are Open To Women But Filling Slots Will Take A WhileTom BowmanCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.U.S. Military Works To Implement New Rules On Women In Combathttp://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/us-military-works-implement-new-rules-women-combat
84269 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgFri, 04 Dec 2015 21:43:00 +0000U.S. Military Works To Implement New Rules On Women In CombatTom BowmanA Russian warplane shot down over the Turkish border on Tuesday crashed in an area of Syria that advocates want to protect with a no-fly zone, or even a "safe zone" — fenced off from attacks by the Syrian regime or extremist groups like the Islamic State.Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, Republican candidates Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham, and other voices including Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., all support a no-fly zone or safe zone in Syria.The theory is that a buffer zone along Turkey's border with Syria would help ease the refugee surge into Europe by providing a wide swath of land where refugees could take shelter without having to travel so far from home. A no-fly zone would be more limited. It would keep Syrian aircraft from attacking anti-government rebels and endangering civilians, which might allow Syrians to feel safe enough to stay put."You need to do something to stanch the flow of refugees," said Dennis Ross, a long-serving former U.S. diplomat whoDowned Russian Military Jet Heightens Debate Over Syria No-Fly Zone http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/downed-russian-military-jet-heightens-debate-over-syria-no-fly-zone
83823 as http://wyomingpublicmedia.orgTue, 24 Nov 2015 21:27:00 +0000Downed Russian Military Jet Heightens Debate Over Syria No-Fly Zone